Past Meetings: Lincoln City vs Doncaster Rovers

Lincoln City and Doncaster Rovers have met regularly across the Football League, with a rivalry that stretches well over a century and has produced drama in both league and cup competition.

From heavy wins in the 1970s to narrow defeats in recent years, this fixture has offered a reliable mix of close contests, red cards, and decisive goals that linger long in the memory.

Recent Clashes

The most recent meetings came during the 2022/23 season, when the sides met twice. In the EFL Cup at the Eco-Power Stadium on 9 August 2022, Lincoln ran out 3–0 winners, while a month later, in the Football League Trophy at Sincil Bank, the Imps fell to a 1–2 defeat. Charles Vernam gave City the lead early in the second half, but goals from Kyle Hurst and Adam Long turned the game around.

The previous campaign, 2021/22, saw the sides meet in League One. Doncaster won 1–0 at Sincil Bank in February 2022, despite utter domination, thanks to Dan Gardner’s late penalty after Joe Walsh had been dismissed, while the earlier meeting in South Yorkshire finished goalless. A year earlier, in 2020/21, Doncaster completed a league double, winning 1–0 home and away, with Taylor Richards scoring the only goal at Sincil Bank that January.

Before that, in 2019/20, the clubs met twice early in the campaign, Doncaster winning 2–1 in the league and 3–1 in the Football League Trophy, both at the Keepmoat Stadium. Those results mirrored a frustrating spell for Lincoln, who were finding their feet back in League One after promotion.

Earlier Meetings

Older supporters will remember a far more even rivalry. In 1997/98, Lincoln beat Doncaster 2–1 at Sincil Bank and 4–2 away, completing a league double on the way to promotion from Division Three. The following year, results were equally tight in the lower divisions, but Lincoln generally held the upper hand through the late 1990s.

In 1992, the pair met in the League Cup over two legs, City winning 3–0 away before drawing 1–1 at home to progress comfortably. In the league that same era, Lincoln enjoyed success too, including a 5–1 away win in November 1991, followed by a 2–0 victory at Sincil Bank later that season.

The 1970s saw the fixture played regularly in the Fourth Division, with some memorable results for City under Graham Taylor and later Willie Bell. Lincoln thumped Doncaster 5–0 at Sincil Bank in April 1976 and recorded emphatic 4–0 and 4–2 victories during that era. There were also several draws, including a pair of 1–1 results in 1979/80.

Going further back, the clubs were regular opponents in the old Division Two and Division Three North. Between the 1950s and 1960s, Lincoln often edged encounters at home, such as a 5–1 win in October 1954, while Doncaster were strong on their own turf, notably winning 3–1 in 1956 and 2–0 in 1955.